Cotton Tillage Machine Helps Clean Valley Air
This one-pass farm tool makes it easy for growers to comply with new air quality regulations.
Bakersfield, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2005 -- In the San Joaquin Valley of
California air quality is a top priority. The U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency declared this rich agricultural region a "non-attainment" area under the
federal Clean Air Act. The culprit is particulate matter of 10 microns or
smaller (PM10) from dust and diesel engine exhaust. Although they were exempt in
the past, the law now requires farmers to reduce PM10 to clean the Valley's air,
one of the worst in the nation. Farmers must choose specific conservation
management practices (CMP) that include conservation tillage, a method of
working the soil that cuts down on the number of trips over the field. This
system reduces the amount of PM10 dust particles that enter the air.
A
company in Bakersfield, Interstate Equipment & Mfg. Corp., builds a patented
one-pass tillage machine for cotton growers. After the cotton crop is harvested,
the Interstate Shredder-Bedder digs down into the soil and extracts the entire
cotton plant and root, crushes and shreds it and reshapes the same beds all in a
single pass over the field. The shredded plant residue decomposes quickly and
becomes vital organic matter to enrich the soil and help prevent wind and water
erosion. Growers can then plant the following crop back into the previous beds.
Two and four-row machines are available with larger self-propelled,
multi-purpose units in the works. The Shredder-Bedder is ideal for
"controlled-traffic farming" and is adaptable to global positioning systems
technology (GPS).
Eliminating multiple tillage operations such as heavy
disking and plowing dramatically reduces PM10 dust emissions. Additional
benefits of conservation tillage include less air pollution from diesel engines,
less fuel usage, less soil compaction and better water penetration. Recent tests
by the University of California show substantial savings for growers who use
this system.
Concern for the quality of life in the San Joaquin Valley is
a high priority as the population continues to increase rapidly in this
agricultural area. Conservation tillage technology helps clean the Valley's air.
The Interstate Shredder-Bedder makes it easy for cotton growers to comply with
new California CMP regulations. This farming system is friendly to the
environment and a model for the future of sustainable agriculture.
For
additional information contact:
Al Ruozi
Interstate Equipment & Mfg.
Corp.
P.O. Box 70296
Bakersfield, CA 93387-0296
phone
661-322-6659
fax 661-322-7448
http://www.cottonshredderbedder.com
In business for
over 56 years, Interstate Equipment & Mfg. Corp. is a family-owned research
and development company dedicated to preserving farmland through conservation
agriculture.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb194217.htm